Family Tree Maker 2009 or Ancestory.com ?

[mdavenport]

Hi,

I am registered on Ancestory.com and have started to populate a tree (very early days). Is this services completely free on ancestory.com until you use their lookup features?

Also, I have a copy of Family Tree Maker 2009 which I thought I could use to work on my tree offline and then sync to Ancestory.com to I have an online backup. Is this how it works? I have modified the tree in both places dependant on where I was but they don't appear to be in sync. Do I need to open my online tree in Family Tree Maker rather than starting a new one on the PC?

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks
Mark

[TrevorFranklin]

I have FTM 2010
You use the Ancestry subscription for it to look up matches etc and then it downloads and merges it into your PC version of the tree.
I have never seen a way that you can synchronise a site you have on Ancestry with a v ersion on your PC.
What I have been doing is use my PC for my main tree, with media and notes in it, then just export a ged file up to Ancestry at a later date. Problem with Ancestry is you cannot merge a ged file into the tree, it just lets the GED file replace it, that's why I do not bother with media/records on the ancestry site version of my tree and keep those on my FTM version.

[Islander]

Hi,

I am also using FTM2009 and have a tree on Ancestry.uk, but as a new user I have been trying to get to grips with both trees.

Problem one: is as you say, you can not sync the files so I have uploaded one family to a public tree and kept the main tree in FTM2009.

Problem two: I can print any combination of tree info in FTM2009 but you can only print screen layouts on the web version. I do not want to pay for a tree poster or book project which may change next week. It appears that if I want an interactive file which I can print reports from I am going to have to upload my tree to Roots.web or World tree.

Problem three: if I lookup a record on line, Ancestry automaticaly decides I want to attach it to my live tree and not the FTM2009 one which I am using as my master.

[Anne in Carlisle]

Personally I prefer to keep my tree privately on my own computer (with plenty of backups) rather than risk it all on line. I would just put those parts of your tree you don't mind all the world seeing on Ancestry (or any online site).

If you do want to put it all online as well you could presumably upload a Gedcom occasionally to Ancestry. Why do you want to print reports from the online copy of your tree if you can do anything from FTM on your computer?

Anne

[Islander]

Hi Anne,

Thank you for your reply. I have used the LDS PAF software ever since I started using a computer for my tree records and a few lever arch files. Having had good results from the Ancestry website, when I have run searches, I joined Ancestry and decided to setup a small tree on their website, but keep it private. I then found that I could not print the tree records that I wanted and was left with a tree which was dificult to manage. I was offered a reduced price deal on the "Who do you think you are" software and I decided to give it a go, I have since updated it to FTM2009. I am happy with the variety of prints which are available, and my FTM2009 tree has 700 names.

I deleted the online tree that I started and have been working through a smaller online tree which has branches in Canada and I have contacts with about six other trees who are looking at the same family as me. As "mdavenport" said if you can not sinc the files you can end up with differences in the two trees and life gets complicated.

My wife has used a Pet forum for some time and she found FTF and encouraged me to join. I am very happy with this site and have found the forms and the information extremely useful. I am going to update my paper records so that I have a definative set of records which can be used to maintain both the FTM and the online tree. This I think is my best option.